In the wake of Netflix's cultural phenomenon Adolescence, Apple TV+ is quietly seeing a major resurgence for its own gripping drama about a family torn apart by accusations of violence. Defending Jacob, the 2020 limited series starring Chris Evans and Michelle Dockery, has climbed back into the platform's top 10 most-streamed shows in the U.S. as of June 2026, proving that audiences can't get enough of this tense, morally complex thriller.
Based on William Landay's best-selling novel and adapted by Mark Bomback, Defending Jacob follows Andy Barber (Evans), an assistant district attorney, and his wife Laurie (Dockery) as their 14-year-old son Jacob (Jaeden Martell) is charged with the murder of a classmate. The eight-episode series, directed by Morten Tyldum, originally debuted during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic and quickly became Apple TV+'s second fastest-growing series at the time. Now, six years later, it's finding a whole new wave of viewers—many of them drawn by the same themes that made Adolescence a global sensation.
While Adolescence dominated 2025 with over 555 million hours watched and a haul of awards including four Golden Globes and eight Emmys, Defending Jacob offers a similarly unflinching look at the shockwaves of youth violence and the blind spots of parents who refuse to see the worst in their children. Critics praised the show's knockout ensemble, with Collider's Haleigh Foutch calling it "absorbing for much of its run." That praise still holds up today, and the series is now being rediscovered by subscribers hungry for more of this kind of storytelling.
Of course, Defending Jacob isn't the only show making noise on Apple TV+ this month. The platform's current heavyweight, Your Friends & Neighbors, has held the top streaming spot for over 200 days, fending off competition from hits like Ted Lasso, Shrinking, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Margo's Got Money Troubles, and the new Cape Fear miniseries. But the steady climb of Defending Jacob shows that older titles can still capture the cultural conversation when they tap into a timely nerve.
For fans of psychological thrillers, Apple TV+'s Surface offers another twisty binge-watch. Meanwhile, Ray Donovan is also surging on the platform this June, proving that Apple TV+ is becoming a go-to destination for dark, character-driven dramas.
Whether you missed it the first time or want to revisit its haunting finale, Defending Jacob is streaming now on Apple TV+. As the streaming wars heat up, this quiet gem is proving that some stories only grow more powerful with time.
